Hayward navigator gets stuck on main drain cover

[hmstdboy]

My hayward navigator pool vac always gets stuck on the main drain. I have to pull it off of the drain every hour or so. Anyone know a solution?

[Gov]

Vacuum it yourself.
My auto-vac always got stuck behind the ladder, found it was less of a headache to just take the 30 minutes and vacuum it and be done with it, instead of always checking to see if it was stuck!!!

[BraddockPools]

Gov,
You an awfully anti-automated cleaner kind of guy.Personally, I love them. When you clean 50 pools a week you don't have the time to vac every pool and there is no need for it. Although suction side cleaners, ie Navigators, Kreepy, etc... do not work as well as pressure side cleaners, ie Letro, Polaris, Viper etc... they all can be made to work. If they didn't these companys wouldn't have a thriving business.

Hmstboy,
Adjust the suction side valves. (The ones in the front of your filter pump.) You can give the navigator more suction and the main drain less and this should solve your problem. If not your navigator's rubber feet may need replaced.

Justin

[deweyc]

My hayward navigator pool vac always gets stuck on the main drain. I have to pull it off of the drain every hour or so. Any
one know a solution?

there's a drain cover (not cheap) that you can replace yours with that is flatter and specifically for auto-cleaners

[jthot]

Navigator stuck probelm can be solved with a drain cover that is specifically designed to keep navigator off of main drain. It has a "bumper" built into it.

[hmalbaugh]

Try the new device from maindrainclipon inexpensive and easy to install

[riverdogg8899]

Yes no worries. Go to www.reliablepoolsolutions.com and you can find a drain cover that will go over your main drain cover to help those from not getting stuck.

Good Luck,

Rob
www.reliablepoolsolutions.com

My hayward navigator pool vac always gets stuck on the main drain. I have to pull it off of the drain every hour or so. Anyone know a solution?

[Mike C.]

I had the exact same problem. Very annoying. My Navigator is about 10 years old, but otherwise works well. I have been very good about replacing parts (even though expensive to buy!!) as needed.
I emailed the Hayward company about the "getting stuck constantly on the pool drain" problem and asked for their suggestions.
A very nice gentleman there sent me a brand new "Variable Throat Assembly" (part no. 29 on their parts list). This was perhaps the only part that I have not replaced through the years. The one he sent differed from the original in that there were two much beefier "lugs" cast into the plastic on the underside. Perhaps this is a new design??
Anyway, to make a long story short, it's been nearly a week now and the Navigator has not gotten stuck on the drain, not even once. Occasionally it will sit atop the drain for about 30 seconds to a minute, but will then manage to walk off on it's own. Hallelujah!! Problem solved!!!

[hmalbaugh]

Vacuum it yourself.
My auto-vac always got stuck behind the ladder, found it was less of a headache to just take the 30 minutes and vacuum it and be done with it, instead of always checking to see if it was stuck!!!

I found an inexpensive and easy to install solution for getting stuck on the main drain. Go to maindrainclipon an see what you think...

[hmalbaugh]

My hayward navigator pool vac always gets stuck on the main drain. I have to pull it off of the drain every hour or so. Any
one know a solution?

there's a drain cover (not cheap) that you can replace yours with that is flatter and specifically for auto-cleaners

I found an inexpensive and easy to install solution for getting stuck on the main drain. Go to maindrainclipon an see what you think...

[hmalbaugh]

Yes no worries. Go to pool store and you can find a drain cover that will go over your main drain cover to help those from not getting stuck.

Good Luck,

Rob
pool store

My hayward navigator pool vac always gets stuck on the main drain. I have to pull it off of the drain every hour or so. Anyone know a solution?

I found an inexpensive and easy to install solution for getting stuck on the main drain. Go to maindrainclipo an see what you think...

[maflip]

I had the exact same problem. Very annoying. My Navigator is about 10 years old, but otherwise works well. I have been very good about replacing parts (even though expensive to buy!!) as needed.
I emailed the Hayward company about the "getting stuck constantly on the pool drain" problem and asked for their suggestions.
A very nice gentleman there sent me a brand new "Variable Throat Assembly" (part no. 29 on their parts list). This was perhaps the only part that I have not replaced through the years. The one he sent differed from the original in that there were two much beefier "lugs" cast into the plastic on the underside. Perhaps this is a new design??
Anyway, to make a long story short, it's been nearly a week now and the Navigator has not gotten stuck on the drain, not even once. Occasionally it will sit atop the drain for about 30 seconds to a minute, but will then manage to walk off on it's own. Hallelujah!! Problem solved!!!

I am having the same problem myself...was this hard to install?

[hmalbaugh]

there is an inexpensive, easy to install clip that solves this problem.
Never get stuck again...

[paulfpetersen]

I replaced my pool timer with a 220 volt X10 plug in module. Every hour It turns off the pump for a minute. This kicks the pool vac off the drain if it's stuck. There are many controllers that you program either with your computer or stand alone. I have used home automation for 35 years so adding a pool pump was easy. If you are starting from scratch there is a bit of a learning curve but nothing you can't handle.

[cmorozco]

Why not take a white plastic coat hanger and snip it to fit over the drain, place the ends in the holes and let of bend slightly over the drain forming a bumper.